Saturday, April 22, 2006

A recent national survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation in association with Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) discovered that the digital world is still divided when it comes to seniors purchasing prescription drugs online. The study found that approximately 30 percentRead more.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Are you looking for some inside information on Medicare? Here's an up-to-date report from Medicare experts who should know.

Medicare's new Prescription Drugs BenefitWhat does it means for you?

On January 1, 2006, Medicare's new prescription drugs benefit (Part D) began. Most seniors are eligible and most drugs are covered. The first open enrollment period runs from November 15, 2005 to May 15, 2006. Everyone with Medicare is eligible, regardless of income and resources, health status, or current prescription expenses.

Medicare's Prescription Drug Benefit is provided by several insurance companies, HMOs, and other health-related companies. To receive approval from the federal government, each prescription drug plan must meet the following minimum requirements.

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Premium. The average Part D premium will be approximately $32 per month ($384 annually) in 2006. This premium is in addition to the Part B premium you now pay (for most people, it can be automatically deducted from your Social Security check each month). *

Annual Deductible. You will pay the first $250 of your prescription drugs expenses. *

Coinsurance. Medicare will pay 75% of your costs between $250 and $2,250. You will pay the other 25% out-of-pocket; that's a maximum of $500 for coinsurance. *

Coverage Gap (the infamous "donut hole"). After your total prescription drugs expenses reach $2,250, Medicare pays nothing until you have spent a total of $3,600 out-of-pocket. The $3,600 includes your $250 deductible and your $500 coinsurance maximum. *

Catastrophic Protection. After you've spent $3,600, Medicare will cover 95% of your prescription drug expenses for the remainder of the year.

Because a prescription drug plan may, if it chooses, offer better benefits (lower deductibles coinsurance amounts, and/or full or partial coverage of the donut hole), it pays to shop around.

Low-Income Assistance. People eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid will pay no premium, no deductible, and have no gap in coverage. They will pay a $1 copayment per prescription for generic drugs, and a $3 copayment per prescription for brand name drugs. Other subsidies will be available for low-income seniors who are not eligible for Medicaid.

There are several potentially nasty surprises you need to be aware of:

Nasty Surprise #1 — "inflation increases"

The $250 deductible, $32 average monthly premium and other coverage amounts described above apply only to 2006. Those amounts will be adjusted for inflation in 2007 and later years. However, the copayment amounts for people eligible for low-income assistance will not be adjusted for inflation.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Medicare story from informed sources.

Nasty Surprise #2 — "separate enrollment"

Most people must enroll separately for the new Plan D prescription drug benefit if you wish to participate, even if you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and B (the government loves paperwork!).

Nasty Surprise #3 — "freedom of choice"

Medicare's new Part D prescription drug plan is voluntary — you don't have to enroll. For many seniors, it might cost more than you could expect to receive in benefits, especially if you are healthy. Or, you might put off enrolling because you simply can't afford it.

But, if you delay enrolling for more than 3 months after first becoming eligible, you will be penalized for the rest of your life! The penalty will permanently increase your premium 1% for every month you delay. For example, if you delay 10 months, you will pay 10% more than almost everyone else. If you delay 2 years, your premium will be about 25% more than other people pay.

— How to Enroll —

If you are already on Medicare, you can join a plan in the following ways:

By paper application. Contact the company offering the drug plan you want and ask for an application. After you fill out the form, mail or fax it back to the company.

On the plan's website. Visit the drug plan company's website. You may be able to join online.

On Medicare's website. You will also be able to join a drug plan at www.Medicare.gov by using Medicare's online enrollment center. More information is available through their online tool, the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder.

By calling Medicare. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and talk to a Medicare customer service representative. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

If you are NOT YET on Medicare, you can apply for the new Part D prescription drug benefit at any time beginning 3 months before the month of your 65th birthday, or you can delay your decision for up to 3 months after the month of your 65th birthday. For example, if your 65th birthday is August 20th, you can apply for Part D at any time from May 1st to November 30th without any penalty.

For more information about Medicare, including how you can contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for more information, visit Medicare's Web site, or call Medicare toll-free at 1-800-633-4227.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

When most people think of Senior, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to Senior than just the basics.

The difference between dementia and Alzheimer's?" It's a common question, and doctors are some of the best at confusing us. Physicians seem to prefer the word "dementia," possibly because Alzheimer's has become such a loaded word. "Dementia" somehow sounds less frightening to many people, and now even the experts have started using the words interchangeably.

They aren't interchangeable. Alzheimer's Disease and dementia are two very different things.

Dementia is a symptom. Pain is a symptom, and many different injuries and illnesses can cause pain. When you go to the doctor because you hurt, you won't be satisfied if the doctor diagnoses "pain" and sends you home. You want to know what is causing the pain, and how to treat it.

"Dementia" simply means the symptom of a deterioration of intellectual abilities resulting from an unspecified disease or disorder of the brain.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Alzheimer's Disease is one disease/disorder that causes dementia. Many other illnesses or "syndromes" can also cause dementia. Parkinson's Disease can cause dementia. A stroke can cause dementia. Even dehydration can cause dementia.

Many of the things that can cause dementia are treatable, even potentially curable.

If you have taken your elder to the doctor and received a diagnosis of "dementia" you haven't received a diagnosis at all. Unless you know what is causing the dementia you can't begin to treat it's root cause.

If your physician has diagnosed "dementia" it's time for a second opinion. You are probably dealing either with a physician who is not comfortable with the truth, or one who doesn't know how (or doesn't want to bother) to differentiate between all the possible causes of dementia. Either way, a skilled geriatrician or a neurologist who is comfortable with seniors would be a good place to start.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about Senior.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Retirement.

Retirement might coincide with important life changes; a retired worker might move to a new location, for example a specialised retirement village, thereby having less frequent contact with their previous social context.

In some countries, retired workers will continue to participate in the life of their family and their society, often following ancient ethnic roles. Some countries are sponsoring initiatives to help retired workers keep contributing to social and cultural life.Well Fargo Retirement Social Security Tax Rates Cheap Places To Retire

Many people in the later years of their lives, due to failing health, require assistance, the highest degree of assistance - in some countries - being provided in a nursing home. Those who need care, but are not in need of constant assistance, may choose to live in a retirement home. This is a facility giving the retired person some degree of freedom, yet with close-by medical assistance to handle emergencies.

Retirement ceases if the retiree decides to go back to work. A retiree may go back to work for a number of reasons, ranging from financial hardship, to the simple desire for activity or new social interactions.

Old-age pensions are usually not reduced because of other income, so the latter comes on top of the former. This may be different in the case of a disability pension.Retirement Gag Gift Retirement Party Favor Social Security And Medicare

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Current trends are to provide people with significant needs for long term supports and services with a variety of living arrangements. Indeed, research in the U.S as a result of the Real Choice Systems Change Grants, shows that many people are able to return to their own homes in the community. Private nursing agencies may be able to provide live-in nurses to stay and work with patients in their own homes.

When considering living arrangements for those who are unable to live by themselves, it is important to carefully look at many nursing homes and assisted living facilities as well as retirement homes, keeping in mind the person's abilities to take care of themselves independently.

A retirement home is a place of shared residence intended for the elderly. The usual pattern is that each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building. Often this includes facilities for meals, gathering, recreation, and some form of health or hospice care. The level of facilities varies enormously. A place in a retirement home can be paid for on a rental basis, like an apartment, or can be bought in perpetuity on the same basis as a condominium.

A retirement home differs from a nursing home primarily in the level of medical care given. Retirement villages and retirement communities, unlike retirement homes, offer separate and autonomous homes for residents.

Today's Featured Article:

Assisted Living Communities can be differentiated by the different types of levels of assistance provided by the hosts of the communities as well as the different kinds of livingClick here to read the rest of this article

This article's coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

When people fail to write things down, some serious consequences can occur. People lose productivity time, they waste funds, and they create stress for themselves and all of those in the environment around them. Most people fail to write things down because they believe they will be able to remember all of the important things they must during the course of the day. This, however, is a false idea. We find it difficult to remember all of the things we must because we are so busy. Generally, the phone rings, three people stop by your office, and you're trying to handle six tasks at once. We try to move from task to task. New thoughts pop into our minds all of the time. We are incessantly interrupted before we can complete a task. When we do write things down, we do this on small scraps of paper that will eventually become lost. Writing things down in the correct manner can put an end to all of this insanity.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Yoga to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Yoga experts.

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding Yoga classes is on the increase and there is a plethora of different types of Yoga. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused

The article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of Yoga so you can choose which type is right for you.

Hatha Yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This type of Yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and don't know any of the asanas (poses). Like all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Ashtanga Yoga - this is the type of Yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It's a fast moving, intense style of Yoga practice and is based on a progressive set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one asana in the sequence to the next, so you'll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength..

Power Yoga - this is a western interpretation of Yoga and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.

The more authentic information about Yoga you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Yoga expert. Read on for even more Yoga facts that you can share.

Iyengar Yoga - This type of Yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one pose to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different poses.

Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa means breath synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.

Bikram Yoga - otherwise known as “Hot Yoga”, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

If you're just starting out or have never done any Yoga before, I recommend trying a few different types of yoga to find out what you like best.

Remember, there's no rule that says you have to stick to one type of Yoga. I like Ashtanga Yoga best, but I also go to occasional Iyengar and Hatha Yoga classes for a bit of variety.

You can't predict when knowing something extra about Yoga will come in handy. If you learned anything new about &keyword% in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

The following article presents the very latest information on yoga. If you have a particular interest in yoga, then this informative article is required reading.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about yoga, keep reading.

Yoga For Seniors - the great thing about yoga is that you don't need any special equipment, clothing or footwear. Yoga can also be practiced at any time of the day. If you have never practiced yoga before, then taking things slowly is advisable. Always seek guidance from your health practitioner and local yoga teacher. There are also many good videos and dvds on the market with the aim of catering for the older generation. Regular gentle yoga practice will help to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and contribute to better circulation. Yoga will also promote improved memory and attention span.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

Saturday, April 08, 2006

An estimated 46.2 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes even though this single behavior will result in death or disability for half of all regular smokers.

Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 440,000 deaths each year. More than 8.6 million people in the United States have at least one serious illness caused by smoking. If current patterns of smoking persist, 6.4 million people currently younger than 18 will die prematurely from a tobacco-related disease.

Tobacco use is the single most avoidable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Over the past 4 decades, cigarette smoking has caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 2.1 million deaths from respiratory diseases, and 94,000 infant deaths related to their mother’s smoking.

Smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipes also have deadly consequences, including lung, larynx, esophageal, and oral cancer. Low-tar cigarettes and novel tobacco products such as bidis and clove cigarettes are not safe alternatives.

The harmful effects of smoking do not end with the smoker. ... each year, primarily because of exposure to secondhand smoke, an estimated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans die of lung cancer, and more than 35,000 die of heart disease. An estimated 150,000–300,000 children younger than 18 months of age have respiratory tract infections because of exposure to secondhand smoke.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates of the number of deaths caused by smoking every year is 4.9 million.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about smoking? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about smoking.

Tobacco smoking is the act of smoking tobacco products, especially cigarettes and cigars. Tobacco smoking is considered a significant cause of human health problems, especially lung cancer, emphysema, and other disorders.The biggest mistake that many people make in giving up smoking, is to give up for another person.

The reason why this is a mistake, is because as soon as that person is out of the picture (or sometimes even out of the house) then the smoking starts again.

The only peson to give up smoking for is yourself. If this is not something that YOU want to do, then the chances of succeeding are next to zero

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

Amazingly enough, I only ever tried to give up smoking once. That one time I gave up for no-one else but myself. That one time, I was successful...

The practice of smoking tobacco originated among American Indians in western North America, where tobacco is native. It was adopted by many Europeans following the colonization of the Americas. Today, it is widespread throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization, it is most common in east Asia, where as many as two-thirds of all adult males smoke tobacco. Because of concern over the health hazards of smoking, the practice has rapidly declined in recent years in the United States, Canada and western Europe.Definition from wikipedia.org.

Many people want to quit smoking. There are various methods to quit. Many people try to quit smoking by using the patch. Some other people try different methods. There is also gum that helps you quit smoking.

There's a lot to understand about smoking. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.